Ortega's Hollow Cry

March 28, 1988|The Morning Call

To the Editor:

The recent assault by Sandinista troops upon the Contras clearly shows what utter contempt the Ortega government has for the peace process. It is now very clear that the Sandinistas' acceptance of the Arias peace plan was a clever political ploy to destroy the Contras at a time when they were gaining politically and militarily. By accepting the peace plan, the Sandinistas gained time and gave their friends in Congress an excuse to vote down aid to the Contras with the cry, "Give peace a chance." This cry rings hollow since 2,000 Sandinista soldiers were engaged in hostile action on Honduran soil.

The liberal Democrats who led the fight against aid are already blaming the U.S. for Ortega's aggression. They are saying that Ronald Reagan has sent troops down there to divert attention from indictments to some former members of his administration.

Already the Nicaraguan Foreign Minister, Miguel D'Escoto, called House Speaker Jim Wright and assured him that this would in no way affect the peace talks and everything should be back on track. This is a fine state of affairs when the leader of the House is more willing to listen to the assurances of a declaredenemy of this country than to our own elected president. Whose side is Congress on anyway? What about the propriety of our speaker communicating directly with a foreign diplomat? Isn't that the State Department's job?

As far as some members of Congress are concerned, the Sandinistas can do no wrong. They will deliberately overlook the actions of Nicaragua despite all the evidence presented to them. The fact remains that only a few weeks after Congress voted down aid to the Contras, Ortega decided to go on the military offensive. Not only does he attack the Contras, but he invades a neighboring state. It is clear that the Sandinistas do not want to negotiate with their opposition but to destroy them, and the peace process was part of their plan.

It is now quite obvious that the peace talks were a front. As long as they were in progress Congress would not provide aid for the Contras (even the request to hold it in escrow was shot down) while on the other hand the Soviets were shipping tons of weapons to Nicaragua. All along the Sandinistas were preparing to strike militarily at a weakened opponent and thereby quash any opposition to their regime and any hope for democracy in that nation.

It seems that by not supporting the Contras, Congress has allowed the creation of a rogue state in Central America and left the U.S, with only one alternative, the use of our own troops - exactly what many who supported the Contras wanted to avoid.